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"CONFESSIONS OF A MAGNETISER" 

EXPOSED! 

EXHIBITING THE 

FOLLY AND FALSEHOOD 

OF A RECENT PAMPHLET WITH THE ABOVE TITLE. 

WITH 

REMARKS, SHOWING THE FALSITY OF THE NOTIONS 

HITHERTO PREVALENT IN REGARD TO WHAT 

HAS BEEN DENOMINATED 



i i 



MESMERISM;" 



AND GIVING THE OUTLINES OF THE AUTHOR S 



NEW THEORY OF MIND. 



BY LA ROY SUNDERLAND. 



'God made us, and we marvel at if. 



BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED BY REDDING AND COMPANY. 
NO. 8 STATE STREET. 

1845. 






EKCH 



¥ 






«.X.*u*.Uh, 



"CONFESSIONS OF A MAGNETIZES" 
EXPOSED. 



LETTER L 

Boston, July 14, 1845. 
Dear Sir, — As you requested, I have given the pamphlet purporting 
to be the " Confessions of a Practical Magnetizer," or " An Expose of 
Animal Magnetism," a thorough reading, and, but for your request, I 
should have thrown it aside, as utterly unworthy of a moment's notice. 
However, the reasons you assign, have, upon farther consideration, in- 
duced me to comply with your wishes in exposing the folly and wicked- 
ness of this silly publication. With you, I do not suppose, that it will 
be read by many intelligent people, of any class, nor that any one with 
a thimble full of brains, who knows any thing of the subject of which it 
professes to treat, would be likely to be deceived by its puerile details, 
as false and improbable as they so manifestly appear to be. But, the 
fact that this subject has fallen into disreputable and unworthy hands, 
like this one who dubs himself as a " practical " " animal magnetizer," 
that there is a vast amount of misconception and prejudice in the com- 
munity generally, against the subject, and that this pamphlet will be 
likely to be read only by those who have not the means of detecting the 
falsehoods palmed off upon them by this writer, forces upon me the con- 
viction, that, upon the whole, it may be best for me to " expose " the 
"humbugry" of this pamphlet, as worthless as it may be. The 
mass, we know, do not enter into a thorough investigation of the laws 
of mind, and hence it is reasonable to suppose, that most who may 



4 "CONFESSIONS OF A MAGNETIZER" EXPOSED. 

read this production, will receive a vague impression that, if it be not 
strictly true in all its details, yet there may be something in the thing 
denominated " animal magnetism " which should render it disreputable 
or dangerous, according to the representations contained in this 
pamphlet. 

In the notice, therefore, which I purpose to bestow upon this self- 
styled " practical animal magnetizer," you will perceive I have a two- 
fold object in view, — not merely to expose the folly, the falsehood, the 
deception and hypocrisy of this author, but in doing this, to set forth the 
real nature of that form of human influence hitherto most generally 
known under the name of " Mesmerism," and the useful purposes to 
which it may be applied. And in the sequel, I doubt not, it will be made 
to appear, not only how very unworthy of credit this nameless book is, 
and, withal, how "blameworthy, how deserving of censure, the individual 
must be who could allow himself to resort to the publication of such a 
book, for the purpose of making money. We shall see with what a be- 
coming grace this " animal magnetizer " tells us that he " had taken a 
most solemn oath " that he would never, on any account, receive pecu- 
niary compensation for his " animalizing," and how much worse it 
would have been for him to have received pay for doing the good which 
he tells us he did, than it was for him to attempt to make money by the 
falsehoods which he has put forth in his pamphlet, under the pretence of 
exposing the humbugry of Magnetism. 

If there by any offence deserving of severe reprehension, any which 
should expose one to the unmixed condemnation of the public, any for 
which the perpetrator should be made to feel ashamed and degraded in 
the estimation of the community, it is the publication of falsehood and 
misrepresentation, under the pretence of exposing " humbugry." The 
man who purposely deceives the public mind, who wilfully misleads those 
whom he assumes to teach, in matters that concern the character, the 
health, the happiness and lives of his fellow men, commits a crime as 
really deserving of punishment, as if he were to set fire to their dwell- 
ings, or shorten their earthly existence by furnishing them with a deadly 
poison, under the pretence of selling them wholesome food. Where is 
safety ? Where is public confidence ? How shall the mass, who have 
not the time nor means for acquiring correct information upon matters 
of philosophy, avoid the mischiefs of humbugry, when they are hum- 
hugged under the guise of attempts at exposing humbugry ? And 
yet, how very much of this kind of deception we often see around us ! 
A quack cries out against quackery ! A pretended " Magnetic College " 



"CONFESSIONS OF A MAGNETIZER " EXPOSED. 5 

is reported to have been formed by three or four persons, as ignorant 
of the true philosophy of what is called Magnetism, as they are of the 
Chinese language, and they tell us it is done to "guard" the public 
against imposition ! " Public attention is called by advertisements in 
the papers, to what purports to be an " Expose of Animal Magnetism," 
by " A Practical Magnetizer," by which we are given to understand, 
that a credible person, thoroughly acquainted with what the most intelli- 
gent writers assume in relation to this subject, has written something 
which honest people would be enlightened in reading, but, on examina- 
tion, it is found that this very pretended exposure is a deception, a fraud 
upon the public confidence, and a base ruse to make money, as mean 
and dishonest, and a thousand times more so, than if it were filched from 
your pocket. He who steals your money " steals trash," but he who is 
the means of deceiving you with regard to the philosophy of your being, 
and the laws of life, does you a greater injury and one which may cause 
you more misery than all the riches of earth would ever do you good. 



LETTER II. 

Boston, July 15, 1845. 
Dear Sir, — Before I point out the contradictions and falsehoods of 
this writer, it may be necessary for me to premise, that, though for more 
than twenty years I have been a firm believer in that form of human in- 
fluence denominated " Mesmerism," or "Magnetism," I have not been 
in the habit of speaking of it under either of these terms. Mesmer him- 
self never put one person into a state of somnambulism. He operated 
by what is called the " passes," and with trees, ropes, bottles of water, 
wires, and many other things, by which he produced certain strange 
effects, like convulsions, but he never induced that state of Coma, more 
recently denominated " sleep-waking," and for this reason, it has always 
seemed to me very unsuitable to call this state " Mesmeric sleep.'''' The 
first instance of this sleep, in the days of Mesmer, was produced by 
Pysegar, and there is no evidence to prove that Mesmer ever induced 
any such condition, during the whole course of his operations. And, 
for a similar reason, I have not been accustomed, as you know, to call 
this sleep a " magnetic " state, or the influence by which it is induced, 
" magnetism." In the second volume of the Magnet, and also in my 
work,* I have given what is believed to be the true philosophy of this 
subject, and shown that there are no appreciable reasons for calling it 
" Magnetism," and least of all " Animal Magnetism." Those reasons 
put forth in my work, it may not be necessary, perhaps, to repeat here, 
but merely to say, that it seems always most appropriate, when speaking 
of new things, to use names the most expressive of their true nature and 
laws, and as this influence is universally acknowledged by all to partake 
of the nature of mental or physical sympathy, I make use of a similar 

*Pathetism; with Practical Instructions. Demonstrating the falsity of the 
hitherto prevalent assumptions in regard to what has been called " Mesmerism " 
and " Neurology," and illustrating those Laws which induce Somnambulism, 
Second Sight, Sleep, Dreaming, Trance, and Clairvoyance, with numerous 
facts tending to show the Pathology of Monomania, Insanity, Witchcraft, and vari- 
ous other Mental or Nervous Phenomena. For sale by Redding & Co., No. 8 
State St., Boston. Price 25 cents. It may be sent by mail to any part of the 
United States, subject only to pamphlet postage. 



"CONFESSIONS OF A MAGNETISER " EXPOSED. 7 

term, Pathetism, expressive of this philosophy, and to signify not only 
the agency by which one person is enabled to produce emotion, feeling, 
passion, or any physical or mental effects, in the system of another, but 
also that susceptibility of emotion or feeling, of any kind, in the sub- 
ject operated upon. 

You will, therefore, please to bear in mind, that when I use any of 
the ordinary terms, as u Mesmerism," or " Animal Magnetism," I bor- 
row them from this writer whom I am reviewing, as a matter of conve- 
nience, and not because I either believe in the notions he puts forth 
about the " nervo-vital fluid," or would sanction the use of these terms 
when speaking of the functions and susceptibilities of the nervous sys- 
tem. During the last four years, I have induced a state of somnambu* 
lism, or what I denominate hypnopathy (sympathetic sleep) in more than 
fifteen hundred cases, and on more than thirty of these persons surgical 
operations have been performed, without the consciousness of pain. 
Through this influence, I have permanently cured numerous cases of 
insanity, and many other forms of nervous difficulty. Besides my work, 
before referred to, you well know, that for some two years I published 
and edited a periodical devoted expressly to this subject, and which af- 
forded me unusual facilities for becoming familiar with operators in 
other parts of this country and Europe ; so that I have had extraordinary 
means for knowing what has been done, and the views entertained in 
other parts of the world upon this subject. And to the above I may add, 
that for a number of years I have been in the habit of importing about 
every thing published in England and France upon this philosophy. 
Nor is this all ; for some two years before I commenced writing or pub- 
licly lecturing upon Pathetism, I devoted my time, wholly, to a course of 
experimental study, in the investigation of the theories prevalent un- 
der the names " Mesmerism," " Magnetism," and " Neurology." At 
considerable expense, and in the use of Electricity, Galvanism, and 
mineral Magnetism, for years I was prosecuting my inquiries, for the 
purpose of ascertaining the real nature of this agency, so that I think it 
not unreasonable for me to suppose, that during this time, and with the 
facilities above referred to, I must have possessed advantages for arriv- 
ing at the truth on this subject, which warrants the conclusion, that if I 
do not know as much about it as some others, it must be for the want of 
a well developed brain, and not for the want of time, nor expense, nor 
" experience," nor opportunities of finding out what it is. 

The great difficulty with most whom I have known, or heard of, who 
have set up for " practical magnetizers " and public lecturers on this sub- 



8 " CONFESSIONS OF A MAGNETIZER " EXPOSED. 

ject, has been, they do not seem ever to have experimented, at all, for the 
purpose of finding out the true nature of this agency. They have never 
attempted to test the truth of the old notions about a " fluid," and hence 
their want of a knowledge of the true philosophy of the nervous func- 
tions. A man, to excel as a mechanic, is under the necessity of devot- 
ing seven years, or more, to the study and practice of the " mysteries " 
of his art. But here and there we see men who do not know enough 
of the science of language, to tell what they mean by a " nervo-vital 
fluid ;" men who have scarcely brains enough to originate or put two 
ideas together, and who positively could not give an intelligent descrip- 
tion of any thing, yet such persons are often found announcing them- 
selves as " Practical Magnetizers," or public lecturers on the " Philoso- 
phy of Life," and dubbing themselves as " Doctors," " Professors," and 
the like. Indeed, the public are beginning to take it as prima facia evi- 
dence of a greenhorn or a sap-head, when they see an operator an- 
nouncing himself as " Dr. ," or " Professor , from New 

York," or " Boston," or " Philadelphia," &c. &c. &c. Nor could we 
scarcely conceive of a greater display in the ludicrous, than when we see 
the names of these " Drs." and " Professors " exhibited on showbills, 
offering to " examine diseases " by a " clairvoyant subject," or to give 
a " Course of Lectures on the sublime science of Animal Magnetism ! !" 
To perform a few experiments may be a very easy thing. But this 
-done, and anon we have the soi-disant " Dr." or " Professor," giving 
lectures on a science more intricate, more difficult of attainment, a thou- 
sand times, than that of Mathematics or Astronomy. And yet, upon the 
mysterious functions of the nervous system, and the laws of mind, you 
will frequently find persons setting themselves up as teachers and 
" practical magnetizers," with the gravity of " an owl in ivy bush." 
And then comes the long harangue, as in the pamphlet before us, about 
the " nervo-vital fluid," the " will," the " passes," &c. &c. &c. And, 
last of all, comes one of these " Drs.," or " practical magnetizers," with 
a flourish of trumpets, begging the sale of his ninepenny book, under the 
pretence that he, more wise or honest than all the rest, had really dis- 
covered a cheat in the thing ; but, being very modest, and detailing cer- 
tain " Animal " propensities quite prevalent in his own heart, he is, of 
course, ashamed to put his name to it.* 

* 1 think I could give the name of the writer of this pamphlet, and, as a mat- 
ter of curiosity, I may do so, in another work I am preparing for the press, pro- 
vided he will consent to have me add a chapter of his real history, as I received 
it from one who knows him well ! It is an old proverb, " Follow not too near 
the heels of truth, lest she dash your teeth out.*' 



He begins by telling us, first, that he narrates " facts," and secondly, 
that they " had all been experienced by the author." That he did " ex- 
perience " the predominance of certain " animal " propensities, when 
" placed opposite a young and lovely female," and that he was the mag- 
netizer who did actually " choose his wife among his subjects," we are 
bound to believe, from his own showing. But, that his gross ignorance 
of the subject upon which he puts himself before the public as a teacher, 
or that his strong " animal " propensities should pass and be taken for 
the true philosophy of mind, I cannot admit, by any means. The guise 
thrown over his attempt, is too thin to hide the deformity within. The 
merest novice might discover the ignorance and deception exhibited upon 
almost every page of this pamphlet, which, so far from exposing any 
thing objectionable in the thing about which he professes to write, ex- 
poses the weakness of his own head, and shows how utterly unfit he ever 
was to be a " magnetizer," and still more, how unsafe it was for any 
" young and lovely female " to be placed any where within his reach. 
Never were the words of the poet more strikingly exemplified than in 
the case of this self-styled " practical magnetizer :" 

" Lust, though to a radiant angel linked, 
Will satiate itself in a celestial bed, 

And prey on garbage. 
But virtue never will be moved, 
Though lewdness court it in the garb of heaven." 

When a man writes a book of fifty pages, and publishes to the world 
that he never could sit " opposite a female," or come near to them, and 
especially that he could not look one in the eye, without having 

" Unlawful thoughts of many things," 

is such a man to be accredited, when he attempts to palliate his own 
crimes by affecting to show that every other man is like himself, and 
that every lady is precisely of the same character as those whose 
" eyes have closed " on him " in dreamy and spiritual affection ? " 
Set him down as a weak-brother, " a practical " any thing but a teacher 
of the laws of mind. He may, perchance, be a good man, but ten 
thousand chances to the contrary. Beside " a young and lovely female " 
his heart melts like butter before the fire, and he is just silly enough to 
imagine every other person like himself. Such is this anonymous 
author, who comes before the public with his " Confessions !" and to 



10 "CONFESSIONS OF A MAGNETIZER" EXPOSED. 

make them sell, sticks out his shingle as " a practical magnetizer," when 
the soft-head never put a person into a real state of somnambulism since 
he was born, probably ; that he never put one person to sleep in the 
manner he describes, I know. The thing was never done in that way, 
never ; and he but shows his ignorance in supposing (if, indeed, he does 
believe) the truth of what he says. 



LETTER III. 



Boston, July 16, 1845. 
Dear Sir, — Nothing can be more evident, than that this " practical 
Animal Magnetizer " was deceived, if he did fully believe the truth 
of his details ; and being himself deceived, of course he will deceive 
others just as much as they may confide in the truth of his statements. 
He says : 

" I am one of those who believe that there is a certain will within the cultiva- 
tion of every powerful mind, which may be so exercised over the dormant pow- 
ers of another, as to render the person, for the time being, subject to the wish 
of the active agent." 

The meaning here is, that merely by the will, without contact, or 
without signifying the intention to the subject, one person may over- 
come another never operated upon before, and throw him into a state of 
unconscious sleep ! And, upon this assumption, this writer goes on to 
tell us of cases in which he says he induced the sleep merely by his 
will, where the persons had no suspicion of his design ; and even he 
himself, he tells us, was put to sleep in this same way ! Now, I pro- 
nounce this whole representation about the will a sheer fabrication, a 
deception, a fraud. A state of sleep was never induced in this way, 
that is, by the will, merely, where the person had never been operated 
on before, and when he had no apprehension, at the time, of what was 
going on. It would be a libel on the Author of our being to suppose 
such a result possible ! It is what never was done, and what never can 
be done. Remember, I am not, now, speaking of what may be done, by 
the will, without the patienfs knowledge, after he has been once oper- 
ated upon, and the sleep brought on ; though I believe the sleep is 
scarcely, if ever, induced without the patient's knowledge, even after 
they have been put to sleep many times. I am aware, that operators 
have sometimes thought it was induced in this way, but I am certain they 
were deceived. But at first, I affirm, without the fear of contradiction, 
that without the patient's knowledge (and consent, direct or indirect,) 
no impression was ever made upon him by the mere volition of another. 



12 " CONFESS SIGNS OF A MAGNETIZER " EXPOSED. 

And this writer's silly stories about his having put certain young ladies 
to sleep, merely by his will, and induced them to love himself or others, 
is a, farce, a deception, of which any person may be easily satisfied by 
the trial. The truth appears to be, this writer wanted to make a show 
of an expose of something, and «o he takes the old and long exploded 
notions about " a nervo-vital fluid," and the power of the will, and, fab- 
ricating a few silly cases, he pretends to have done by his will certain 
things, which he never did do, and which he could not do, if he would ; 
and on the prejudice which generally has prevailed on this subject, he 
makes a show of. great danger from "Animal Magnetism," as if his sto- 
ries should be credited as the sober truth, by any intelligent person 
who might read them. How the sleep, when it is induced, is brought 
on, I may show in the sequel ; but it is never produced, at first, without 
the patient's knowledge, by the mere will of the operator — never! 

This writer betrays his ignorance, again, when he assumes to dogma- 
tize on the power of " sympathy," and represents that the subject in a 
state of somnambulism, " reflects the mind of the operator, or the per- 
son with whom he is in communication." This is true only in a very 
few, rare cases, and then only in a limited degree. Ordinarily, the 
sleep-waker has no conception of the operator's will, except when it is 
expressed in words or signs. This I know to be a fact. And hence it 
is manifest, that when this writer speaks of certain feelings having been 
manifested by the females whom he says he put to sleep, if he speaks 
the truth, he said or did something to excite those feelings, over and 
above what was necessary to induce the state of sleep. 

Of course, our " Animal magnetizer " professes to be " honest." Hear 
him : 

u As I propose to be honest in this expose, 1 will frankly acknowledge, that 
when I found out the deception that had been practiced upon me, and in which 
I had been an innocent agent of deception to others, I did not do as I should 
have done. I was ashamed to acknowledge my error, being actuated by a false 
pride, which led me to cleave to falsehood, rather than acknowledge my error." 

What, pray, was the " deception " practiced upon this confiding 
youth, this paragon of purity ? It was not that " Magnetism " was not 
true ; for, in the truth of this agency consists the whole gist of his book. 
It was not that he was not an " Animal Magnetizer " of the first water, 
for he tells us he " had loved a hundred times,'''' and a hundred different 
females, and that he even procured his present wife by putting her to 
sleep and " willing " her to love him ! In what, then, are we to under- 



"CONFESSIONS OF A MAGNETIZER" EXPOSED. 13 

stand the " deception " consists ? " O," says he, " there is vice to be 
feared, as concealed under the cloak of Magnetism ! ! " " Vice to be 
feared ! " And how does this appear ? Why, this precocious youth 
had so much of the " animal " himself, and took such frequent advan- 
tages of the opportunities which his peculiar process of " Magnetising " 
afforded him, to indulge his " animal " propensities, that he now comes 
to the wise conclusion to turn a penny by his depravity, in writing and 
selling a book on the subject ! Nor will any one doubt, I think, for one 
moment, that if all men were like this writer, it would be better for phy- 
sicians, clergymen, and all others, to be separated wholly from all inter- 
course with the fairer sex, " for fear that some vice might be concealed 
beneath the cloak " of the profession. He tells us he " had loved a hun- 
dred times, ay, and with his whole heart" while sitting " opposite 
young and lovely females," for the purpose of " magnetizing " them. No 
doubt of it. The " critter " has so much of the " animal " in him, that 
no one could doubt this part of his story. 

The sickening details told in chapters 5, 6 and 7, about " Helen " and 
" Milton," though evidently fabricated for the occasion, show off the 
hypocrisy of this writer, to the life. He feigned a knowledge of physi- 
ognomy, and told the young lady whom he deceived, that it was " the only 
science that is not made the foundation of some humbug ;" and this he told 
her while he was humbugging her, that very moment, and now he at- 
tempts to humbug the public by a most miserably written, silly story 
about it. 

In chapter 3d, this wiseacre makes a number of false statements about 
myself, which shows his ignorance both of my theory and my manner 
of operating in my public lectures. His directions for causing the 
sleep by " a bow-knot of ribbon pinned to the wall," is given as a rev- 
elation of a great secret, just as if such a process had not been published 
in the Magnet years ago, and the explanation which he gives of it far- 
ther shows that his knowledge of the human mind, and the effects which 
one's own attention has upon his nervous system, is scarcely up to medi- 
ocrity. Indeed, the jumble he makes of effects produced in this way, 
and those produced (as he thinks) by the human will, is enough to 
show, that Mental Philosophy was unfortunate indeed when seized upon 
by this " Animal Magnetizer," — more so than the " silly women " whom 
he tells us he " led captive at his will," " laden with sins, led away with 
divers lusts." But, we are told, that " the folly of such shall be mani- 
fest unto all." 

2 



LETTER IV. 

Boston, July 16, 1845c 
Dear Sir — Having exposed the ignorance, falsehood, and humbug- 
ry of the pamphlet under notice, I will now give you a very brief 
account of the rationale of what has been known under the name of 
" Mesmerism," and, in doing this, I shall not only further show the false- 
hood of this pamphlet, but you will see, from my remarks, that I not 
only discard the old futile notions about " a nervo-vital fluid," but the 
objectionable method of inducing the sleep, by gazing the patient in the 
eyes, taking hold of the thumbs, and making the passes over the body. 
These mummeries were discarded, years ago, by intelligent operators in 
every part of the country, and they are now only resorted to by those 
who believe in the old notions of a fluid. 

The greatest mistake made in relation to what has been denominated 
" Mesmerism," has been in viewing it as something essentially different 
from the ordinary influence which one mind has always been known to 
have over another. A correction of this misapprehension will put you 
upon the right course of investigation for ascertaining what this agency 
or influence is. Those who have produced certain results by what has 
been called " Animal Magnetism," have been most egregiously bewil- 
dered and deceived, by the assumption about a fluid, said to be elimi- 
nated out of one brain, by the will of the operator, into the nervous 
system of the patient. As I have sifted this question, I believe, to the 
bottom, and made use of every available means for arriving at the truth, 
it will not, perhaps, be thought strange that I should speak somewhat 
confidently upon this subject. It would not be possible to comprise any 
considerable outline of the course of reasoning which shows the futility 
of the old theories about a fluid, nor is this necessary here, as I have done 
what I believe to be ample justice to this subject in my book ; and in 
another work, which I have in the course of preparation for the press, 
I hope to be able to shed still more light upon what is denominated Path- 
etism, or the " New Philosophy of Mind." 

Before you can form an enlightened judgment of this influence, it 
will be necessary to have some knowledge of the susceptibilities of the 



WHAT IS IT? 15 

nervous system ; and the identity of this system, with that aggregate of the 
nervous functions to which we apply the term, mind. These prelimina- 
ries understood, then ask yourself this question : — 

" How, or by what laws, does one mind affect another, in the common 
concerns of life ? Or, how does your own mind become affected, in any 
given state ? " 

The true answer will give you the philosophy of Pathetism, or what 
has been denominated the " Mesmeric influence." The term " Human 
Influence " would be much better, because the influence by which I induce 
a state of Somnambulism, Trance, or Catalepsy, is precisely the same, 
and depends upon the same conditions in the mind of the patient and 
the operator, that allows of any sensation or emotion brought on by any 
thing said, or done, for the purpose of producing any results. 

Pathetism, then, includes all that is peculiar to a feeling of sympathy 
or antipathy, joy or grief mirth or sadness, love or hatred, pride or 
humility, adhesiveness or aversion, health or disease, sleep or wakefulness, 
when these states are brought upon one person, by something said or 
done by another ; or when these states come on through the mind of the 
patient, without any design of a second person to induce them. 

Hence you will see upon how many different things, states, conditions, 
circumstances, motives, &c, the results you may attempt to produce will 
depend. The age, sex, temperament, health, state of the mind at the 
time, are all concerned, and must be taken into the account, in determin- 
ing the amount of influence which one may be able to exert over another 
at any given time. But, as I have already stated, nothing can be 
done, at first, without the patient's knowledge and consent — nothing at 
all. Hence this great bugbear, conjured up by the " Animalists," 
vanishes " into thin air." 

Nothing, perhaps, would tend more to demonstrate the falsity of the 
hitherto prevalent notions about a fluid in the production of the phenom- 
ena current, under the term of " Mesmerism," than an examination of 
the infinitely diversified effects alleged to have been produced by this 
influence. Out of the tens of thousands of subjects operated upon, there 
have never been found any two who were affected in all respects ex- 
actly alike. At first view, to be sure, a superficial observer might take 
these discrepances as so many evidences against the reality or utility of 
the thing under notice. This, however, would not be the wiser course ; 
the same objection might be brought against the treatment of disease by 
medicine. There is, really, just as much uncertainty in the anticipated 
results of medicine, just as much want of agreement among the medical 



16 WHAT IS IT? 

faculty, and far more, than has ever prevailed among the advocates of 
" Mesmerism." 

The difference in the results of this influence do not prove that no re- 
sults are actually produced, but they do prove, that they are not resolvable 
into the laws which we know to be peculiar to magnetism or electricity. 
In my work, I have entered somewhat in detail, into the examination of 
this question, as to the medium of communication between mind and 
mind, and to that work I must refer all who wish for further information 
upon this feature of our subject. I have been much gratified, in reading 
four very interesting papers, in the London Lancet, re-published for 
April, May, June and July, 1845, bearing directly upon this point. They 
were written by Dr. Charles R. Hall, of the Royal College of Physicians, 
London.* The Dr. has, evidently, never been considered favorable to 
what has been known under the name of ' ' Mesmerism," as he does not 
seem to have been either a believer or an operator ; but the information 
he has given in his papers on this subject, I venture to say, will tend 
more to settle the question as to the real nature of this influence, than 
any thing which has been previously published in England ; and it is to 
be earnestly hoped, that the friends of this science (for so it is getting to be 
called) will profit by the papers of Mr. Hall. The following are the con- 
clusions at which his researches have brought his own mind. He says : 

" Of the alleged results of the Mesmeric process, I believe there are, 

" Proved — Quietude, composure, sleep. 

" Probable, but requiring confirmation — Traction, convulsion, 
heightened sensibility, diminished sensibility, double convulsions. 

" Possible, but not very probable — Insensibility to severe pain, for 
any given length of time, at pleasure. 

" Impossible, as far as any thing can be so — Clairvoyance, intuition, 
community of thought, involuntary and complete subjection of mind to 
the mesmerizer. 

" And, lastly, I believe, that we have not a shadow of evidence in sup- 
port of the existence of any new agency, whether designated Mesmeric, 
Magnetic, occult, or by any other name." 

With the exception of his doubts on the question of clairvoyance, and 
a modification of what he denies as to the " community of thought," and 
insensibility to pain, you will perceive that Dr. Hall has but reiterated 

' * On the Rise, Progress, and Mysteries of Mesmerism, in all ages and 
countries." 



WHAT IS IT? 17 

the views published by myself years ago. It does not appear, that he 
had ever seen or even heard of my theory ; but it is gratifying to find that 
an opponent, when writing upon this subject, and especially, one who 
had taken as much pains to inform himself, as Dr. Hall has done, should 
come so very near to admitting the whole truth. Indeed, it would hardly 
seem possible for any believer in " Mesmerism " to read the quotations 
he has made from a vast number of writers upon this subject, and not 
come to a similar conclusion with respect to the non-existence of any 
new agency, in the production of what are denominated Mesmeric re- 
sults, or any such agency as " Mesmerists " have supposed, under the 
names " Magnetism," or a " nervo-vital fluid. " 

In speaking of " Mesmerism " under the terms of an u agency," the 
mind is apt to be misled ; because this gives the idea that it is something 
separate and distinct from the mind itself. But this is the error to be 
removed, before we can arrive at the truth of this subject, as you will see 
more plainly on examination of my theory. The results produced by 
" Magnetism," always depend upon the state of the patients mind, and 
not so much upon the process adopted to induce them, nor upon the mere 
will of the operator. The operator, therefore, who is the most ac- 
quainted with the human mind and the nature of its susceptibilities, the 
conditions of the nervous system, upon which mental manifestations de- 
pend, will succeed the best, ceteris paribus, in producing any given re- 
sults. He will be able, of course, to adapt his process of operating to 
the occasion and condition of the patient, for the purpose of bringing 
about the right state of mind. The mind depends upon the state of the 
nervous system, always, and they reciprocally affect each other. A 
change in the condition of the nervous system produces a change in 
the mind, and a change in the state of the mind, made through the ex- 
ternal senses, or by any other means, produces a change in the nervous 
system. Medicines, when taken into the stomach or applied to the sur- 
face of the body, operate upon precisely the same susceptibilities of the 
nervous system ; and hence it is that medicine produces no change in 
the dead body, and sometimes it produces no change in the living body, 
owing to the condition of the nervous susceptibilities when it is taken. 
In cases of insanity, the ordinary symptoms of some diseases do not ap- 
pear, and the ordinary methods of medical treatment produce no effect, 
owing entirely to the state of the patient's mind, or the changed condi- 
tion of the nervous susceptibilities.* A knowledge of these facts is of 

* For evidence of the truth upon which the above statement is made, see 
the London Lancet for October, 1844, re-published Jan., 1845, p. 17. 

2* 



18 WHAT IS IT? 

the utmost importance in the treatment of disease, and especially in 
cases of insanity. 

But you ask me, if there be not danger, after the operator has induced 
a state of sleep, and got the patient under his power ? I answer : 

This state is never brought on, nor this " power " obtained over a 
patient, suddenly, nor in a short time. The man who assumes to be able 
to put a woman to sleep without her knowledge, or against her will the 
first time trying, and above all, to make her change her feelings towards 
him, as is represented in the pamphlet under notice, is deceived ; and 
when he publishes such trash to the world as is here put forth, I do not 
hesitate to pronounce him a deceiver, utterly unworthy of any confidence 
at all. 

The only objection which could, justly, be brought against this subject, 
or agency, is this : the intercourse necessary to bring on the sleep, 
affords a vicious man extra opportunities for working upon the affec- 
tions of his female patients ; and, after he has gained their confidence, 
and produced a state of feeling in them congenial with his own, then he 
may injure them. Hence it will be seen, this objection does not lie 
against Pathetism, per se ; not against the influences which one mind 
has, in the nature of mind, over another, in given cases, but, against 
affording a certain class of persons opportunities for winning the affec- 
tions of females. Precisely the same objection will lie against the pro- 
fessional services of physicians and clergymen ; though it is admitted 
that the access which a " Magnetiser " is allowed to have, generally, to 
the mind and feelings of his female subjects, afford him greater facilities 
for controlling their susceptibilities than most other persons have ; and 
on this account, patients should exercise the more caution in permitting 
operators to experiment upon them. If there were any real merit in this 
writer's pretended fears and cautions, it would be merely borrowed 
from Deleuze and others who wrote upon this subject before he was 
born. Indeed, scarcely any writer can be found, but who has re-echoed 
the same cautions, in which the real danger has been distinctly pointed 
out. The following is from the Magnet, published long before this 
writer, whom we are now castigating for his " Animalisms," committed 
the depredations on female innocence so unblushingly told in the pages 
;of his pamphlet : — 

" That some subjects, after they have been frequently operated on, 
may be made to obey the will of the operator, cannot admit of any 
doubt. I do not say, that they can be willed to do things that are disa- 



WHAT IS IT? 19 

greeable to them, but they may be made willing to do many things they 
could not be made willing to do in the normal state. And hence, it 
should be known, that the person who submits to this process by another, 
of whose health, character, and other necessary qualifications he is not 
weir assured, runs a hazard far more dangerous than the patient who 
merely swallows the nostrum of the quack, of whom he knows nothing ; 
and that just so far as this operation is successful, just so far he may 
receive the impress, as it were, of the operator's heart. The mental dis- 
position of the latter has much to do with the impression made on the 
person who is put into the hypnopathic state. Of this fact I have had 
numerous demonstrations, which leave no room for the shadow of a 
doubt. All therefore should understand what results may follow, and 
those which do always follow, the influence which is exerted upon them 
by pathetism. That influence may, and should be good, and nothing but 
good ; but this will depend, of course, upon the health, skill, and motives 
of the operator." 

I say, upon the motives of the operator, and the same remark might 
be made, whatever might be the professed object, or the process adopted 
for accomplishing it. If a man is disposed to do what would result in 
the injury of any body, he would find the means if he could, for accom- 
plishing his object, and he would be sure to use the means if they were 
furnished at his hand. 

This writer alludes to others besides himself, who have trifled with the 
affections of confiding females, under the guise of " Animal Magnetism," 
and some of whom, in this city, have committed crimes, which, if tried 
before the proper tribunals would result, in their confinement in the State's 
Prison. All this is admitted, and it is equally well known, that the char- 
acters of those persons were notoriously bad before they had any thing 
to do with this subject; and the public papers teemed with cautions 
against one of them more than twenty years ago, as a base villain and 
imposter ; and now whose fault is it, after the public has been so fre- 
quently cautioned against him. if he should succeed in the ruin of one or 
a dozen females who have fallen in his way? 

I have spoken of the opportunities which the old process of " Magnet- 
ising," as it is called, afforded for working upon the feelings of female 
patients. These are increased by staring in the face, and passing the 
hand over the system, practices which I repudiated years ago, and which 
have been discontinued by every operator of any intelligence throughout 
the country. There is no need of those mummeries, and as they are 



20 WHAT IS IT? 

highly objectionable on other grounds, as I anticipated years ago, they 
have been continued only by a few " animalizers," like this one before 
us. 

The state of somnambulism may, at first, be induced by almost any 
process v h'ch is not disagreeable to the patient. As good a way as any 
is, for the operator to stand behind the patient, or by his side, while he 
places his hand upon the top of the head, and over the forehead. The 
patient should be directed to close his eyes, or keep them steadily set, 
till the attention is immovably fixed upon the sleep. The sleep will 
come on just in proportion to the fixedness of the patient's attention^ 
without any passes, or efforts of the operator's will. 

A few puffs of air in his face, or slight pats upon the back part of 
the head, will be sufficient to restore him to his normal state. Thus, 
when you have dispensed with the old process of paiving and scraping 
over the bodies of your patients, and discarded the absurd and prepos- 
terous notions about the power of the " will," we have removed the 
foundation of every reasonable objection which has ever been suggested 
against the practice of Pathetism in the cure of disease. 

After the sleep has been once induced, and the susceptibility of the 
patient sufficiently excited, the sleep may be induced by the mere direc- 
tion of the operator, and removed in the same way.* 

In these remarks, of course, I say nothing of my manner of producing 
results in my public Lectures, as that is still more peculiar to my new 
theory of mind, and I am confident it never was adopted by any other 
Lecturer, in any part of the world, till after the publication of the Mag- 
net, and the papers had given accounts of my having induced the 
sleep in my public Lectures, in the cases of strangers whom I never had 
seen before, and without contact, or the passes, or any particular efforts of 
the " will," so called. But, since the accounts of my Lectures were 
published, I have heard of numerous attempts at imitation of my manner, 
and some have even gone so far as to issue verbatim copies of my hand- 
bills, and in Lowell, Nov. 27, 1843, one of these imitators procured 
Messrs. Norton and Bellows to print an exact copy of my bills, with my 
own name in it, including some of the newspaper notices of my Lec- 

* It has been common for some Lecturers to advise persons indiscriminately 
to practice or experiment with this influence, and from which many mischievous 
results have followed. It should never be undertaken without a thorough 
knowledge of its laws. For "Practical Directions " and rules for operating, see 
the book entitled "Pathetism," before referred to. 



WHAT IS IT? 21 

tures ! ! These counterfeit bills were posted about the city, but before 
the time for the lectures, the lecturer was missing.* 

* A copy of that counterfeit bill now lies before me. I have another counter- 
feit of my bills, got out in the city of New York, by one W. C. Tappan, dated 
Sept. 23, 1843. I arrived in the city that very evening ; but Mr. Tappan cleared 
out without giving his lecture. I have heard of other instances of the same 
kind, but the most glaring instance of an attempt to appropriate some things 
peculiar to my theory, have been made by a man by the name of Grimes. The 
monstrous blunders committed by this man, I have exposed in another work, 
now ready for the press. His true character may be inferred from the following 
fact, which I have upon what I believe to be good authority. When he had a 
bust taken of his head, he caused the sculptor to raise the organs of conscien- 
tiousness in the bust, so as to make them larger than the organs actually were in 
his head ! ! This ruse is much like one practised by a man now living in Edgar- 
town, Mass., who bears the reputation of a miser, but when I was in that town, 
a few months ago, I saw a superb and costly monument, which he had actually 
caused to be put up in the grave yard, on the spot where he is to be buried ; and 
an inscription upon it lauding his character for benevolence in the highest terms ! 



CHAPTER V. 

Boston, July 17, 1845 
Pear Sir : — Although the author of this pamphlet affects to deny, 
and even to ridicule what has been denominated " clairvoyance," it will 
be seen that he does, nevertheless, admit the existence of this power, 
and, even to a greater extent than what is assumed by most persons 
who profess to believe in it. He goes so far as to say, that, ordinarily, 
subjects when first put to sleep, even, will be able to tell the thoughts 
of those with whom they are in communication. This I do not believe. 
What he thus affirms of subjects, as common, is very seldom developed, 
in any considerable degree, even after they have been experimented 
upon for a length of time. 

In my previous writings on clairvoyance, years ago, I resolved this 
power into what has been denominated instinct; and since that time, I 
have been confirmed in this conjecture, beyond all doubt. An instinc- 
tive action is one which is performed, independent of the external 
senses ; it results neither from observation nor experience ; and is per- 
fect from the first, and not susceptible of any improvement. Hence we 
notice those animals, as man, for instance, which are accustomed to 
use reflective faculties, are guided the least by instinct. And those 
which have no reflective faculties, are guided alone by this sense. 
Hence we find it the most developed in man, when the external senses 
are suspended, as in natural or induced sleep. That there is a sense in 
man, which often perceives the presence and qualities of things without 
the use of either of the external organs of sense, we have the testimony 
of the highest medical authorities to prove. The following remark is 
from the celebrated Dr. Good : — " We occasionally meet among man- 
kind, with a sort of sensation altogether wonderful and inexplicable. 
There are some persons so peculiarly affected by the presence of a 
particular object, that is neither seen, tasted, heard, smelt or touched, 
as not only to be conscious of its presence, but to be in agony till it is 
removed. The vicinity of a cat not unfrequently produces such an 
effect, and I have been a witness to the most decisive proofs of this in 
several instances." 



CLAIRVOYANCE. 23 

Indeed, no intelligent physiologist doubts the existence of this power ; 
and works on mental philosophy frequently detail dreams, which are to 
be accounted for only by the existence of this mysterious sense. I 
have found persons, who could exercise it in a remarkable degree, in 
their normal or waking state. Letters put into their hands have been 
described by them with astonishing accuracy, and sometimes they will 
tell the nature of medicinal drugs, when enveloped in wrappers, merely 
by holding them a few moments in their hands. 

I have had numerous demonstrations of the clairvoyant power, and 
in a vast variety of ways, so that, I am just as certain of its reality as I 
am of any other function of the nervous system. But, at the same time, 
I feel bound to declare, that I place little or no confidence in most of 
the stories which are told, under the name of clairvoyance, as the cir- 
cumstances under which this power is said to have been developed are 
not such as to secure an intelligent conviction of its reality, or to make 
it sufficiently evident that the operators and the subjects were not in 
some way deceived, in regard to many of the particulars making up 
the case., 

As to the examination of disease, and prescribing medicine by a 
clairvoyant, it may be sufficient for me to observe, that I have never, 
professionally, examined diseases in this way, for the very good reason, 
that I believe I can give the diagnosis, myself, better than any clairvoy- 
ant, though I would not hesitate to give any person who might consult 
me, the satisfaction of such an examination, if it were preferred. With 
a few exceptions, however, I must admit, that, as this business is carried 
on, I have but little confidence in it. The subjects and operators may 
be divided into two classes : — 

1. Those who are natural somnambulists and clairvoyants, who have 
fallen into this habit spontaneously. Some of these I have known who 
have given the true diagnosis, and their prescriptions have resulted in 
as many cures as you could affirm in favor of any of the patent medi- 
cines, or, indeed, of many of the " regular faculty." 

2. The other class, are mere imitators. The subjects are put to 
sleep, and, without having any instinctive faculty for detecting disease, 
they are pressed into the habit of examining and prescribing, as a 
money making business. And, some of the medical faculty have led 
the way in this kind of examinations It is but a short time since I saw 
the advertisement of one of them, inviting invalids far and near, to 
come to his office, and, as it were, have their fortunes told ; but, said 



24 CLAIRVOYANCE. 

he, " you must not wear silk," because bis subject could not see through 
silk ! What nonsense ! * 

The extreme into which many of the " Drs." and " Professors" of 
the science have carried this business of examining disease, prescribing 
and selling medicine, has completely overdone the thing, and disgusted 
intelligent believers in this disputed power. Indeed, how could it be 
otherwise, when ignorant persons carry individuals about with them for 
examining the sick " in a state of clairvoyance," whose subjects were 
never in a sound state of sleep ! And then, again, when they resort to 
collusion with the clairvoyants, as I know some have done in this city ! 
I lament this state of things, but do not see how it can be prevented, 
unless the friends of this science unite in setting their faces against 
these abuses. Truth should not be made to suffer, because unworthy 
persons do, sometimes, set themselves up as its advocates ; and it does 
seem to me to be a great injustice when this subject is made responsible 
for the badness of character, in those cases where certain individuals 
were notoriously infamous before they had any thing to do with it ; 
and also, when worthy intelligent persons are hindered from doing the 
good they might, because the ground is so extensively occupied by in- 
competent operators. 

3. And, then, there are difficulties in the way of the best subjects 
who undertake to examine disease. They are not always in a good 
condition — the ignorance of those who operate upon them, and the 
fact, that this power does not last long, in the best cases; indeed, it 
may become exhausted, or interrupted in a few days, beyond the possi- 
bility of recovery.! And, in such cases, ignorant operators may keep 
up a course of examinations long after the power is gone. 

The same remarks might be made upon lectures, and public exhibi- 
tions of the old process of pawing and staring subjects in the face. 

* Out of some fifteen hundred persons whom I have put to sleep, I have not 
found one who was spontaneously affected with silk, or any metallic substance, 
according to what has been assumed by the "Animal" Magnetisers, in relation 
to these conducting or non-conducting substances. 

t "I say, "possibility of recovery," though 1 have restored it in two cases. 
One was a lady of one of the regular medical faculty in this vicinity, and a very 
interesting case it was. She soon after went to Dr. Buchanan, who was then 
in this city, and though she was one of the most susceptible subjects 1 ever 
saw, the Dr.'s "neuraura" made no impression upon her. This was one of a 
number of similar cases in which the Dr.'s " neuraura " was found incapable 
of affecting highly susceptible subjects upon whom he tried his experiments. 



CLAIRVOYANCE. 25 

For, while there are a few intelligent, and truly worthy persons en- 
gaged in this business, there are many others who, for whatever else 
they may be qualified, are certainly not fit for public lecturers on 
the Science of Human Life. Some of them I have known who have 
experimented upon persons who were never asleep, and they themselves 
did not know enough to tell whether their subjects were asleep or not ! 
And their manner of lecturing [!] and experimenting, of course, must tend 
to prejudice well informed people against this subject, and lead them to 
the conclusion, that though the thing itself is true, and may be made 
the means of great good, yet there has been, in some instances, a vast 
deal of humbugry mixed up with it. 

But there is one remark which I would make for the consideration 
of such persons, in relation to the abuse of this power ; it is this, — 
every thing that is true, is liable to be abused just in proportion to its 
importance, and the want of information, or honesty, in those who have 
the management of it* Hence the necessity of information upon this 
subject. Let the community be informed ; let all know what it is, and 
how one mind may, under certain circumstances, influence another ; 
and no one need be injured any more by this science, than they are by 
religion, or the practice of law, or medicine. 

* " I doubt not, that in regard both to Phrenology and Mesmerism, the grand 
principle will prove true, that the more ominous of evil any branch of knowl- 
edge seems to be, in its incipient state, the more prolific it will ultimately become 
in illustrations favorable both to morality and religion." — Dr. Hitchcock, Presi- 
dent of Jlmherst College. 



LETTER VI. 



Boston, July 18, 1845. 

Dear Sir, — Pathetism comprehends the science of mind, the knowl- 
edge of the nervous functions, the science of human life. And a 
knowledge of this subject will enable us to account, in a rational and sat- 
isfactory manner, for every thing peculiar to the constitution of man, 
every thing in relation to those extraordinary mental and physical phe- 
nomena peculiar to Sleep, Dreaming, Trance, Second Sight, Witch- 
craft, Insanity, and those curious sympathetic imitative results produced 
among the Hindoos, Mohammedans, Anabaptists, French Prophets, 
Roman Catholics, Shaking Quakers, Mormons, Methodists, and other 
sects, which have by ignorant fanatics been thought superhuman or 
miraculous. And from which it will be seen, that it claims the serious 
attention of all who wish to understand the philosophy of Human Influ- 
ence. 

The new theory of mind, or what I believe to be such, I pub- 
lished in my work, before alluded to, some three years ago. It was, 
I believe, the first ever issued in the English language, in which 
an attempt was made to show the falsity of the opinions hitherto 
prevalent, in relation to the agency of a fluid in the production of the 
results peculiar to a state of induced somnambulism. And, though it 
was written in considerable haste, amidst a pressure of other arduous 
duties, and was, in fact, a mere outline of my views, yet the reception 
it has met with has abundantly confirmed me in the conviction, that the 
theory advanced and advocated in its pages, is destined to prevail just 
in proportion to the attention which intelligent, unprejudiced operators 
may, from time to time, give to the investigation, of the subject. Not a 
single case has come to my knowledge, where any one of common in- 
formation has given my work a candid reading, but it has resulted in an 
admission of the truthfulness of my theory, and among professional 
gentlemen, especially, not excepting many of the clergy, the philosophy 



THEORY OF PATHETISM. 27 

of the mental functions, explained in that work, has been received with 
a favor which very much encourages me to hope that the time is not 
far distant when the great mass, the world over, will be found to agree 
in the true science of mind. 

Since its publication, I have seen enough to confirm me, also, in the 
apprehension I expressed, years ago, that this subject had nothing to 
fear one hundredth part so much as the injudicious handling of opera- 
tors. To read the assumptions put forth in the advertisements of some 
of these persons, would be amusing indeed, were it not for the import- 
ance of the subject, and the disgust one is forced to feel, on witnessing 
the exhibitions of such unpardonable ignorance. Nor can it be denied 
that a part of this blame does, unquestionably, belong to professional 
men, to those whose education and opportunities, in other respects, have 
fitted them, more than others, for the investigation of human physiology. 
Had they taken hold on this subject, as they might and should have 
done, instead of treating it with ridicule, long ago it would have taken 
its place among the positive sciences, and nothing would have been left 
for feeble intellects to do, but to receive the benefits which this science 
would have afforded them. But, unfortunately, it has so happened, that, 
while many physicians and clergymen have been convinced of the truth 
of Pathetism, they have been prevented from suffering themselves to be 
identified with it in any way, merely from seeing it handled by so many 
incompetent minds. This is a great inconsistency, to be sure, but it 
is one of which we but too often find even many good men guilty, in 
other relations besides those they sustain to science. From these facts, 
however, we learn some of the laws peculiar to the human mind, and see 
how it is that truth prevails, notwithstanding the numerous impediments 
thrown in its way. 

But few efforts have been made, during the last two years, in this 
country, to keep alive the old notions of a fluid. As far as I am able to 
judge, the theory advocated by Dr. Buchanan, under the name of " Neu- 
rology," has made no converts, and even the Dr. himself, I believe, 
has ceased to advocate it ; and the few who embraced it, on its first pre- 
sentation to the public, have, as far as I know, without a single excep- 
tion, given it up, as indefensible. In my travels through the different 
States, I have, now and then, met with a pamphlet pretending to some 
new development of the old notions first put forth by Van Helmont, in 
Germany, more than two hundred years ago, but I have seen nothing in 
the form of fact or argument which confirms the truth of those notions, in 



28 THEORY OF PATHETISM. 

the least conceivable degree, while my own opportunities for observation 
and experiments have been increased a thousand fold, and have abun- 
dantly confirmed me in the truth of the following 



THEORY; 

FIRST PUBLISHED IN MARCH, 1843. 
I. 

That Animal Life consists in tivo alternating forces, which control 
matter, including Electricity and Magnetism. The alternations of the 
vital forces carry on a series of revolutions, which perfectly correspond 
with the alternating forces, or states of every thing else in nature, and 
hence we have sleeping, waking — cold, heat — motion, rest. 

II. 

That these vital forces give those qualities to the body which consti- 
tute a sympathetic system, and render all its parts susceptible to an influ- 
ence from every other part, organ, or entity, between which and the 
different organs or parts of the body, a difference in quality or function 
is found to exist. 

III. 

The effects produced by these alternating forces depend upon certain 
connections or relations which different parts of the body or different 
substances, or entities, sustain to each other. 

IV. 

That the nature of these relations, between two or more substances, 
organs, or entities, depends upon the difference or likeness in their qual- 
ities or functions, and the difference in the nature or qualities of things 
depends upon the balance of power between the two alternating forces. 
This accounts for the difference in the susceptibilities of different per- 
sons, to be influenced by any given substance or agency which is brought 
into a relation with the mind, or any part of the body (as the stomach) 
for the purpose of bringing about a change. 



THEORY OF PATHETISM. 29 



That a peculiar connection between two entities, organs or sub- 
stances, which differ in certain qualities or functions, produces & positive 
relation, or the law of sympathy. A connection between two which are 
precisely alike, produces a negative relation, or the law of antipathy. 
And, where bodies or substances are brought together which do not 
come up to a certain degree of difference, in quality or functions, a neu- 
tral relation, or a state of apathy, is the result. 

VI. 

This law of duality and contrariety, in the alternating forces, pre- 
vails in the nature of things, and, of course, in the constitution of 
man, and the organs through which mind is manifested. Hence, as there 
are two forces, so there are two perfect parts (so to speak) to one human 
body ; two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet, &c, and two entire 
brains, which may, and often do, act independently of each other. The 
brains combine the different mental organs, which not only exist in 
pairs, but in groups, or families, in each brain ; and the pairs and groups 
are balanced by other pairs and groups, whose functions are directly op- 
posite. On the due development of these normal relations does con- 
sciousness and mental power depend. For, when they are deficient, or 
become disturbed or exhausted, the results appear in the states of the 
mind, such as idiocy, monomania, insanity, and sleep. When the nor- 
mal sympathetic relations are disturbed between the two brains, or the 
cerebral organs and the nerves of motion or sensation in other parts of 
the system, the results are shown in apoplexy, paralysis, and other phys- 
ical orjnental irregularities. 

VII. 

The cerebral system possesses the power of sensation, or perception, 
without the use of the external senses ; and when this power is exercised 
without these senses, and also without any dependence upon observation 
or experience, it results in what we denominate instinct, or clair- 
voyance. The aggregate of all the mental faculties, when manifested 
through the external senses, constitutes mind. The mind is identical 
with the cerebral or sympathetic system, and hence they reciprocally act 
upon each other. The latter is the medium through which the emotions 
and volitions of mind are manifested, and through the same medium all 
its impressions are received. 
3* 



30 THEORY OF PATHETISM. 

VIII. 

By establishing a positive relation between two persons, the mind of 
one may thereby control the susceptibility of the other ; or by applying 
the hand of one to any part of the other, different mental and physical 
changes may thus be produced. Hence it follows, that the only influ- 
ence extended from one mind or body to another, depends upon the 
kind of relation established between them, and the same is true with re- 
gard to any influence felt by the living body, from any other cause. 

IX. 

A positive relation is kept up, between the vital organs and the sub- 
stances on which the system depends for its nourishment, such as air 
and food, and, also, by the different functions of these organs ; and upon 
the proper balance of all the different relations depends the health and 
vigor of the body. Their disturbance produces disease, and their anni- 
hilation, death. 

X. 

The muscles, limbs, and organs, are controlled by the brain on the 
opposite side of the body ; that is, the right brain corresponds with the 
left side, and the left brain with the right side, and the muscles are 
moved through these relations, which exist between different portions of 
the same muscles, and also, between these and the sympathetic nerves, 
through which the mind operates. From which it follows, that there is 
a reciprocal influence between the different nerves and the other organs 
of the entire system ; and hence it is, that the state of one organ, or 
part, is changed by the state of another, with which it is in positive re- 
lation. 

XI. 

These sympathetic relations exist between the mental organs and the 
nerves and muscles of the face ; they shape the features, and thus lay 
the foundation for all that may be known of Physiognomy ; they give 
the contour to the entire system, so that relations may be traced between 
all the mental and physical developments ; and from corresponding 
points of sympathy, throughout the body, the different cerebral organs 
may be excited and controlled by those external agencies, between 
which and the susceptibility a positive relation has been established. 



THEORY OF PATHETISM. 31 

XII. 

The positive and negative relations are controlled, in certain cases, 
by the mind ; so that the system is positively or negatively affected ac- 
cording to the mental apprehensions. In the same way relations may be 
created, or transferred from one substance to another. When the mind 
has been once impressed to a certain degree, from a mere apprehension 
of an influence from any cause, it takes cognizance of this relation ; 
and in cases of high susceptibility, it does sometimes either create, or 
transfer it from one substance or agent, to another ; and hence the sys- 
tem is affected precisely according to the anticipations of the mind, and 
not according to the real qualities of those things to which the relation 
has been transferred. 

XIII. 

The various vital, organic, and mental functions, are carried on by 
these different relations ; and from which it must follow, that upon the 
latter does the healthfulness and integrity of the former depend. And 
by applying those agencies which change these relations, we may 
increase or modify the mental or physical powers, and thus \kie five senses 
may be transposed and concentrated entirely in the sympathetic system ; 
or they may be wholly suspended, or even controlled by the sympa- 
thetic system of the operator. 

XIV. 

It is a universal law of nature, that positive results are produced by a 
relation between an agent, and a subject, or two or more substances, 
brought into relation with each other. It is only by establishing a con- 
nection between two things, or forms which differ in quality, that a pos- 
itive result differing in quality from either of the two is produced. This 
is the first law of Pathetism, and from which we see how it is, that one 
may not be able to produce the same effects upon different persons. 



The vast number of experiments which I have performed, confirm- 
atory of the truth of the above theory, have been of every possible 
variety, and have been performed under those circumstances which have 
afforded me the best advantages for determining the true nature of this 
influence, as to whether it is a fluid, eliminated out of one brain and 
received into another ; or, whether it must not be resolved into the rela- 



32 THEORY OF PATHETISM. 

tions of things, and the laws by which the Great First Cause has deter- 
mined they shall be governed. 

The laws above described do obviously exist, and we daily observe 
their results, and hence there is no necessity for attributing the phenom- 
ena which occur, connected with the human mind, to remote and extra- 
ordinary causes. 

I have found every imaginable variety of temperament and susceptibility, 
necessary for the production of all those results, from which the nature 
of this influence alone could be determined. Besides the thirty cases of 
surgical operations on the persons whom I have rendered insensible to 
pain, and the scores and hundreds of invalids whom I have entirely 
cured or relieved, in New York, Boston, Providence, Lowell, New 
Bedford, Bangor, Portland, and many other places where I have lectured 
among which I may mention some twelve cases of insanity, which I 
have cured by my new process of impressing the nervous system. To 
state each case in detail would require more space than could be given 
in this letter ; nor does it seem so necessary, as these cures have been 
effected in my public lectures, on persons who attended them for this 
purpose. Among these cases the following may be mentioned : — Tic- 
doloroux, Spasms, Neuralgia, Chorea, Rheumatism, Sick Headache, 
Paralysis, Insanity, Cholera Morbus, Stammering, Epilepsy, Monoma- 
nia, Deafness, Fits, Hysteria, Loss of Voice, Hypochondria, Toothache, 
Want of Sleep, St. Vitus' Dance, and Blindness, besides numerous Con- 
gential Difficulties, and bad habits, such as the use of Tea, Coffee 
Tobacco, and Intoxicating Drinks. 

In this respect my lectures have, certainly, as far as I know, been 
distinguished from those of any, and all other persons, who have attempt- 
ed to call public attention to this subject. It has been my object to 
make them of practical benefit, not merely to exhibit those phenomena 
by which the truthfulness of my theory is demonstrated ; but, also, to 
show the useful purposes to which this agency may be applied, in 
the relief of pain, in developing the laws of mind, in explaining the 
nervous functions, and in accounting for many strange mental condi- 
tions, hitherto considered supernatural. How far I have succeeded in 
these efforts, the thousands must judge who have witnessed the results of 
my lectures, in different parts of the country, as well as the numbers 
who have professed to be, personally, benefitted by them. There is but 
one drawback on the pleasure which the contemplation of these results 
affords me, and that is, the state of feeling which my success seems to 



THEORY OF PATHETISM. 33 

have produced in the minds of a few other operators, as if the world 
were not large enough for them and me. A very few, also, of the med- 
ical profession have been stumbled, in perceiving that I have succeeded 
better in curing some of the worst forms of nervous disease far better 
without medicine than they were ever able to do with it. A still larger 
number of the profession, I am happy to say, have, after attending my 
lectures, candidly avowed their belief in Pathetism, and not a few of 
them have been quite successful in the treatment of disease by this 
influence alone. 



LETTER VII. 



Boston, July 21, 1845. 
Dear Sir, — It was supposed that the efforts of Dr. Buchanan, some 
two years since, to give a new development of the old notions about a 
jluid, would be the last attempts of the kind, at least by any one pretend- 
ing to scientific attainments. But that supposition, it seems, was not 
well founded. In the work to which I have before referred, by Mr. 
Grimes, a labored attempt is made to revive the old notions of Van Hel- 
mont, under the new-fangled name of " Etherium /" And yet, Mr. G. 
belabors Dr. Buchanan with great severity, for doing this very thing ! 
This " etherium," says this author, 

" Is a material substance, occupying space, which connects the planets and 
the earth, and which communicates light and heat, electricity, gravitation, and 
mental emotion from one body to another, and from one mind to another." ■ t 

Admitting the truth of this new version of the fluid notion, you will, 
undoubtedly, desire to be informed what the Deity is, or what he ever 
did, or can do. For this " Etherium " occupies all space, communi- 
cates all motion between matter and mind. But perhaps Mr. Grimes 
would tell us that this " Etherium " is, itself, God. He says : — 

" The motions of etherium are the ne plus ultra of human knowledge. It 
moves and communicates its motions to other things, this is certain ; but what 
is the origin of its motions we cannot know."* 

The visions of the prophets, and the miracles of the New Testament, 
are, by this writer, ascribed to this same " etherium :" 

" The practice of laying on of hands upon the sick, to heal them, referred to 
in the New Testament, is precisely the etheriopathic practice." 

" "Who that compares the ancient seers with modern clairvoyants, and pos- 
sessors of second sight, can doubt that they all belong to the same class ?"t 

* Etherology, p. 156. t lb., p. 41. 



CRITICAL REMARKS. 85 

However, it would not be consistent with my present design, to at- 
tempt an examination of these notions. I merely wish to show that 
this work contains nothing new, in the form of a theory, which was not 
anticipated, and, as I think, sufficiently refuted in my work on Pathetism, 
two years ago. If the influence heretofore known under the name of 
" Mesmerism," be a, fluid, eliminated out of one body into another, it is 
not of the least consequence what you call it, whether Animal Magnet- 
ism, with Van Helmont and Mesmer, or Neuraura, with Dr. Buchanan, 
or Electiricty , Etherium, or any thing else you please. Nor is it easy 
to see any singular merit in substituting new terms for the same old no- 
tions. I say old notions, for, though this writer has elaborated a work 
of some 350 pages, professedly in explanation of the " Philosophy of 
Mesmerism," and has numerous repetitions of his ideas on the same 
subject, yet I cannot perceive that he has, in the principal features of his 
theory, advanced a single step from Mesmer and Puysegar, or even Dr. 
Buchanan. The fluid notion is common to them all, and it is one and 
the same thing, by whatever name it may be distinguished. I find in 
his book not a few contradictions, and incorrect statements ; and a dis- 
play of more self-esteem than was necessary to antagonize all the ex- 
citement he could induce in his conscientiousness, benevolence and 
suavity combined. As he makes a show'of having confuted my own the- 
ory of Pathetism, it will not, perhaps, be out of place for me to give the 
work a passing notice ; and in doing so, if it should appear that he has 
made statements which will not bear the scrutiny of scientific research? 
statements about historical facts, which are false, and, withal, if it should 
appear that he has borrowed a few " new discoveries " from my own 
work on Pathetism, and claimed them as his own, I will leave it to you 
to say, how much these things are to weigh in favor of the " etherium " 
notions of Mr. J. Stanly Grimes. 

As his avowed object was to prove the truth of the fluid theory, in op- 
position to the theory of Pathetism, it was to be expected, as a matter of 
course, that he would have informed his readers what the theory of 
Pathetism was, that he might have the full benefit of its confutation. 
This, however, he has not done, and though he quotes largely from the 
Magnet^ (and when it suits his purpose) from my book on Pathetism, yet 
he has never once attempted to state my theory in my own words ! My 
book contains my views on this subject, up to the time it was issued. 
The Magnet was never designed to advocate any theory, exclusively, 
and hence I stated in its pages, from time to time, that its object was to 
give facts, and afford an opportunity for all friends of the science to ex- 



36 CRITICAL REMARKS. 

press their own views in their own way. And yet, while Mr. Grimes 
had my book before him, (for he says he " had read it carefully,") he 
fills a dozen of his own pages with quotations, not from my work, but 
from the numbers of the Magnet, and which contained views that I had 
expressly repudiated in my work on Pathetism. If this was without de- 
sign, on the part of Mr. G., it shows his ignorance ; if it was done from 
design, it shows a dishonest motive. 

But, waiving this ground of complaint, let us proceed to notice a few 
of the rays of light which Mr. G. himself assumes to have shed upon 
this subject. 

" One mind cannot influence another but through the instrumentality of mo- 
tion. — p. 17. 

This is obscure. He should have told us, of which mind the motion 
is affirmed — the one that is acted upon, or the other ; and also whether 
there can be thought without motion. Because if a mere thought may- 
be the cause or effect of cerebral motion, or may be the necessary ac- 
companiment of cerebral motion, there is a sense in which one mind, 
without motion in itself, at the time, may act upon another mind. It is 
when one mind is excited or depressed, or impressed, in any way, by its 
conceptions, merely, of another mind. 

" One thing 4 cannot influence another with which it is not in contact, unless 
there is some material substance existing or passing between every portion of 
the space which separates them." — lb. 

Doubted. It would follow, from this assumption, that the Deity him- 
self cannot influence mind without physical " contact," or that there 
could be no relation or connection between two different minds, with- 
out physical " contact." My mind is, at this moment, influenced by 
my conceptions of Adam, so that it is true, that in some sense, Adam's 
existence communicates motion or emotion to my own mind ; but it is 
not true, that there is a " material connection " between my mind and 
that of Adam, the first man that ever lived. 

The following contains a new idea : 

"The involuntary motions constitute life. — ]). 26. 

What is the difference in " involuntary motions ?!' Are they not 
alike ? And if so, then it follows that all " involuntary " motions are 



CRITICAL REMARKS. 37 

life ! Hence all magnetic, or electrical, motions constitute life, and this 
" etherium," which " generates," as this writer tells us, every thing else, 
besides itself, must be alive, also ! And in the same breath he informs 
us, in addition to the above, that this " etherium " modifies every thing, 
and is, at the same time, modified by every object from which it is 
emanated ! It is the cause and the effect, at one and the same time, of all 
things !" 

Here is another " etherium " definition : — 

" Sympathy is when an active organ in the operator communicates its own 
motions to the corresponding organ in the subject, so as to make it act in a sim- 
ilar manner." — p. 36. 

" Sympathy means same emotion, same feeling, same condition." — p. 160. 

" The currents of the operator's etherium, after having moved the organs of 
the operator himself, proceeded to the corresponding organs of the subject, and 
moved them in a similar manner. This is sympathy in a strict philosophical 
sense." — p. 196. 

Let us see. The operator, it is said, wills his subject to laugh, and 
he laughs. The " active organ " in the operator, in this case, is his 
will ; but the active organ in the subject is not his will, but his mirth. 
The operator, by a mere volition (it is said) causes his subject to walk ; 
and in this, as well as in a thousand other like cases, the " active organs " 
in the operator and his subject are not the same. Our author furnishes a 
case in point, and I will quote it here, inasmuch as he " takes the liberty 
to recommend it to the attention of Dr. Elliotson." To my own mind, it 
affords conclusive evidence that the author of " Etherology " is not so 
familiar with the real nature of the subject on which he has written, as 
he himself seems to imagine. He says : 

"Take almost any person who is unacquainted with the subject, or with the 
object of the experiment — ask him to sit down and close his eyes, and keep 
them closed. Take hold of his hands, as if you were going to induct him in 
the usual manner, and, after you have held tbem above five or ten minutes, let 
go carefully of one hand, and will the thumb to move, and in five cases out of 
six it will do so, even though the subject is not in the least asleep, and though 
he is so slightly affected that he stoutly denies that he is affected at all." — p. 292. 

And the movement of a thumb, after having been tightly held, in 

this manner, " for five or ten minutes," is appealed to by Mr. Grimes, as 

a demonstration that a mere volition of the operator is sufficient to move 

the muscles of the patient ! And to such an experiment he invites the 

4 



38 CRITICAL REMARKS. 

attention of one of the most able physiologists in England, for the pur- 
pose of enabling him to make up his mind as to the effects of the human 
will, when exerted, independently of all contact, over a subject in the 
sympathetic sleep ! ! 

The slightest attention to the sense of feeling, or of consciousness, 
would seem sufficient to enable the merest novice to account for a move- 
ment of the thumb, or any other part of the body under the control of 
the subject's own will, after it has been subjected to the pressure of the 
process above described. The mind, or the sense of feeling, instinctively 
prompts one to such a movement, that he may perceive the state of the 
part which has been compressed or subjected to a kind of involuntary 
restraint. The effects would be the same upon the limbs of animals ; 
and I am serious in saying, that Mr. Grimes would be still more suc- 
cessful, if in future, he were to try, in the way he describes, the effects 
of his " will " upon the tail of a cat, or any of the canine race. He 
would, undoubtedly, see their tails move in all directions, after pinching, 
but I could not advise him to believe that they moved solely in obedience 
to a fluid eliminated into them from his brain. Let him go through 
with the process of clasping or pinching the thumbs, or the tails, " and 
then let go carefully," and " will " them not to move, and see if " in five 
cases out of six" he succeeds, or that he can satisfy "Dr. Elliotson " 
that the results are produced by his will, independently of the imagina- 
tion of the subject on whom he operates. 

But, suppose the thumbs do move, as he assumes, merely because he 
wills them to move ? How do results of this kind agree with his defini- 
tion of sympathy, which he represents as a result that comes out from a 
corresponding activity in the same organs, both in the operator and the 
subject. 

Mr. G. has considerable to say upon consciousness, and here is a 
new idea upon it : 

" There are some reasons for suspecting, that every atom of matter in exist- 
ence is capable of consciousness, when placed in the circumstances and condi- 
tions favorable to its development." — p. 140. 

" If consciousness depends upon an ultimate material particle, it is not im- 
possible that the very identical consciousness which is now possessed by Queen 
Victoria, was once possessed by Queen Maud ; and it may be, that if Her 
Majesty will resolutely set to work, she may be able to recollect the circum- 
stance. If this principle be admitted, it may be also, that the future state, con- 
dition, and associations of consciousness, will be dependent upon the aptitudes 
and habits, the moral and physical sympathies and antipathies which it has 
acquired in its past and present state , — but we can no longer touch bottom." — lb. 



CRITICAL REMARKS. 39 

Such is the light which this writer sheds upon consciousness, and the 
above is in perfect keeping with two-thirds of his book, in which he ex- 
patiates with equal clearness, when it is equally impossible for him or 
any of his readers to " touch bottom," or tell, with any degree of cer- 
tainty, what his meaning is. The following extracts show us one way 
in which this writer accounts for clairvoyance : 

u I have seen a ring handed to a subject ; and the owner of the ring, who lived 
at a distance, described — the sex, health, residence and state ofmind, and many 
other circumstances, with great accuracy. The ring being inducted by the 
etherium of the owner, partially retains and communicates the motions which it 
has received, just as a magnet does, or a scented handkerchief. The ring, if it 
has continued to emanate motions of etherium all the way from the place where 
the owner resides, to the residence of the subject, has made a path which may 
aid ihe clairvoyant subject in finding him. — pp. 233, 234. 

" If it has." Why does the writer put in this " if?" According to 
his theory, every particle of matter is constantly emitting the " etheri- 
um," and if the ring does not emit the etherium before it reaches the 
clairvoyant, it emits none afterward ; and if it emits none after it reaches 
the subject, of course he could not, according to this " etherium " theory, 
tell where the ring came from ! 

Nor is this the only difficulty : 

14 The motions of the etherium are peculiarly modified in each successive ave 
nue or stage through which it is obliged to pass." 

" Etherium is modified by each external object from which it emanates ; for 
there is no doubt that every object imparts its own peculiar character, in some 
degree, at least, to the etherium which it is constantly receiving and emitting.'' 
—p. 21. 

Now, conceive, if you can, of a "path" made by this " etherium," 
say five hundred miles, " all the way " from the place where the owner 
of the ring resides, to the residence of the subject," and this, too, while 
every particle of the atmosphere, and every other object with which the 
ring has come in contact, during this immense distance, has, in ten 
thousand ways, operated in " modifying " its " motions." The mind has 
no faculty for conceiving the possibility of results brought about in this 
way, except, indeed, it be done by that all potent organ of Creden- 
civeness, of which Mr. Grimes makes so great an account. The notion, 
however, is not original, as Mr. Grimes seems to think. The same idea 
is advanced by Mr. Townshend, and it is believed to have been suffi- 
ciently refuted, in my work on Pathetism, three years ago. 



40 CRITICAL REMARKS. 

But it is impossible to reconcile Mr. G.'s notions with his own the- 
ory, and in his attempts to confute Dr. Buchanan's notions, he com- 
pletely upsets his own. For instance, Mr. G. says : 

" Admitting that emanations of etherium stream from the extremities of the 
fingers, would they not be conducted away in all directions by the innumerable 
nerve and blood vessels, the skull and membranes which intervene between the 
spot touched and the phreno-organs which are supposed to be excited?" — p. 282. 

Precisely so ! And admitting that the " etherium streams " from the 
ring, how is it conducted into one of the clairvoyant's organs rather than 
another ? " Etherology " does not, and cannot, tell how ; and thus 
you will perceive, that while Mr. G. confutes Dr. Buchanan, he con- 
futes himself also ; though, I should add, perhaps, that the above argu- 
ment is not original with Mr. G., as it was published some two years be- 
fore his book appeared, as you will see, by turning to my work, pages 73 
and 343, where you will find that I used this very same argument, and for 
a similar purpose ; it was to show the falsity of Dr. Buchanan's theory, 
in relation to the excitement of the cerebral organs by a fluid. 

The following direction for operating, will show that Mr. Grimes 
himself has what he calls the organ of " Credencinusness " well devel- 
oped, as well as his subjects : 

" Let the subject sit down, and not cross his legs, as it will interrupt the 
circulation." — p. 315. 

Crossing the legs " interrupts the circulation " of the etherium ! ! ! 

And on page 236 he gives the particulars of an experiment with one 
of his " credencive " subjects, who saw the fluid [ ! ] or " etherium," 
as he calls it : — 

" The moment she mentioned the fluid, I interrupted her, and asked her what 
fluid she meant. She answered ' This,' holding out her fingers and moving 
them as if she perceived something emanating from them; 'this is it, don't 
you see it ?' " 

Whether our author himself actually saw the fluid, or not, he has not 
informed us. But he has yet to learn that when " Marvellousness " is 
once excited to a certain degree, he or his subjects can see or believe 
any thing. He can see the " fluid " stop the moment a subject happens 
to " cross his legs " while the operator is inducing the sleep ; and one 
of Dr. Buchanan's followers, in New York, (S. J., Esq.,) once told me 
that he himself had positively " seen the fluid streaming from his own 



CRITICAL REMARKS. 41 

fingers," at a certain time, while in the act of operating for the cure of 
some disease ! It was, he said, of " the color of smoke ! ! " 

It has been in the excitement of the same organs of Marvellousness, 
that somnambulists have been made to declare that they " saw the fluid ;" 
but this is not so much to be wondered at, as it is when we find opera- 
tors, claiming a medium degree of intelligence, who profess their belief 
in these sights. A man who could believe that his subject actually saw 
an invisible "fluid" must have an organ of " Credenciveness " by far 
too large to allow of his hesitating to believe any thing which afforded 
the least prospect of gratification to his love of distinction, or self- 
esteem. A change of circumstances would put him in a position of ri- 
valship with Joe Smith, or Joanna Southcote ; and you will, I think, 
agree with me, when I declare it as my opinion, that science has but 
little to expect from the labors of such minds. 



LETTER VIII. 

Boston, July 24, 1845. 
Dear Sir, — As you desire it, I proceed to point out a few of Mr. 
Grimes's incorrect statements — statements which are so palpably false, 
some of them, at least, that I find it utterly impossible to account for 
them, consistently with either his intelligence or honesty. If he did not 
know that the following representations were false, he was incompetent 
for writing upon the subject on which he undertook to enlighten the 
public. If he made them, knowing them to be false, he is guilty of a 
crime that renders him unworthy of public confidence as an author or 
teacher on any subject. He says : 

u My object is to rebut the absurd doctrine of Sunderland, Buchanan, and 
others, that clairvoyance depends upon a peculiar organ, which was bestowed 
upon man for that very purpose." — p. 218. 

My theory is contained in my work, the latest publication I have made 
on the subject of clairvoyance, and every thing else connected with this 
subject till now. And Mr. Grimes declares, page 1 12, that he had read 
this work carefully. I never taught that clairvoyance depended upon a 
peculiar organ given us for this purpose. As you have seen, I resolve this 
power into what has been denominated Instinct. There is not the 
least reason for this representation of Mr. Grimes. 

Here is another mistake : 

" It should be understood that La Roy Sunderland claims to have been the 
first to discover that the organs of the brain can be excited by touching them," 
—p. 109. 

This is not true ; as you will see by turning to pages 139, 141, and 
142 of my book, and especially the first and second paragraphs on page 
141. I stated, years ago, that I had no confidence in those cerebral ex- 
citements for proving the precise locations of the mental organs. 

And here is another : 

" Not one of those who have adopted this doctrine concerning the excitement 
of the phreno-organs, has yet retracted, or even expressed a doubt concerning 
the truthfulness of their conclusions." — p. 281. 



CRITICAL REMARKS. 43 

Almost every page of my work might be referred to as a confutation 
of the above statement. See especially, pages 141, 145, 146, 147, 
240, and 247 inclusive. Compare these pages with the following, and 
it will be seen that while I make nothing at all of the excitement of the 
phrenological organs by Pathetism, Mr. G. himself makes every thing of 
it. He is speaking of his clairvoyant subject who saw [ ! ] the " ethe- 



" I then asked her concerning the location and uses of several new phreno- 
organs, which I suppose that / had discovered, and, to my surprise, she answered 
me without the least hesitation, and confirmed ail my previous opinions [of 
course she did, for she got her views from Mr. Grimes' mind, according to his 
own theory,] not even excepting those opinions I had never mentioned to any 
one, and which she could only have known from clairvoyance. As far as 1 
know, this was the first attempt to learn the functions of the brain by means of 
Mesmerism ; and notwithstanding all the boasting of the Pathetizers and Neu- 
rologizers, I still think that this method is the only one which will be found of 
any use." — p. 237. 

Now, I depend neither upon cerebral excitements, by Pathetism, nor 
upon the statements of clairvoyants, for fixing the locations of the men- 
tal organs ; and all this I published to the world years ago.* 

On page 250, Mr. G. informs us that the credit of having discovered 
the head-touching principle is supposed to belong to Spencer T. Hall ; 
but in making this statement, he only shows his want of information, as 
you will see by turning to page 142 of " Pathetism." 

Mr. G. complains bitterly of " Buchanan, Sunderland, Caldwell," and 
even " Dr. Elliotson and others," for having, as he thinks, so strangely 
overlooked his wonderful discoveries, for you should know, that he 
seems to claim the credit of having discovered about every thing in 
" Phrenology and Mesmerism " there was to be found out. 

Throughout his book he has much to say on what he denominates 

* When I first excited the separate cerebral organs, in August, 1841, 1 thought 
I had made an important discovery, one by which I could demonstrate the truth 
of Phrenology, and the precise location of each of the mental organs. But I 
very soon found that those excitements could not be depended upon, as 1 at first 
supposed, and becoming satisfied that what I thought was a discovery was of no 
very great importance, and, as I found A. B. C. D., &c, throughout the coun- 
try, claiming the same discoveries, 1 long ago relinquished my claims, being 
perfectly willing that those who wished the credit of priority in those experi- 
ments of exciting the mental organs, should enjoy it without any rivalship from 
me. 



44 CRITICAL REMARKS. 

" Credenciveness," and " Credencive experiments." By Credencive- 
ness, he means precisely what Gall, Spurzheim, Combe, and other 
phrenologists mean by Marvellousness, or Credulity, and precisely what 
I explained in my book, by " Faith," or the " mental apprehensions " of 
the patient. The drift of my entire work goes to show, that I accounted 
for most of the results produced by Dr. Buchanan, Mesmer, Baird, and 
others, not by a fluid, but by the operation of certain relations brought 
to bear upon the patient's mind, through his " apprehensions," or knowl- 
edge of the operator's design, as you will have seen from my Theory, 
(XIII.) 

It was by this law of " Credenciveness," that I accounted for the 
results produced by Mesmer, (page 65,) also the results which follow an 
"assertion" of the operator, (pages 232, 246, 234, and 111. In this 
way I accounted for the effects produced by the " Tractors " of Perkins, 
(pp. 106-108) and numerous other phenomena, which had seemed to 
remain shrouded in mystery, or attributed to supernatural agency. In- 
deed, this very idea may be found repeated upon almost every page of 
my book, so that any school-boy, who reads it, as Mr. Grimes says he 
had, " Carefully," could not fail of perceiving this fact recognized as a 
fundamental principle in my theory. But this same Mr. Grimes, who 
" declines " an " acquaintance with George Combe," says he " finds it 
impossible to understand " my theory, or, " if he does understand it, 
it is perfectly obscured." — p. 112. 

But now for the proof, that Mr. Grimes did understand my theory, 
or a part of it, at least, and that he has borrowed it, and having baptized 
it under the name of " Etherology," he has published it to the world as 
his own, and claimed it as his own original discovery : 

u Credenciveness will induct any part which the operator pleases, or even 
any part which the subject believes or suspects that the operator desires to in- 
duct. This principle of self-induction has never before, to my knowledge, been 
announced." — p. 38. 

And, lest the reader should not remember the above original an- 
nouncement, he repeats the account again, in the following terms : 

" While engaged in performing various experiments, I made a very import- 
ant discovery, which I have never before communicated to the public in 
writing." [!] 

Preserve your gravity. Such oracular announcements as the above 
should be received with becoming solemnity. Here is another : 



CRITICAL REMARKS. 45 

"This explanation of the nature of credenciveness is a key to most of the 
wonderful experiments and discoveries of Buchanan and Sunderland, of Baird, 
Hall, and Elliotson. It explains, also, the apparent contradictions and absurdi- 
ties which embarrassed the celebrated French Committee of which Dr. Frank- 
lin was a member." — p. 195. 

Now, Mr. Grimes does not seem to have known that a Committee of 
the French Academy, in 1825, accounted for Mesmeric results in pre- 
cisely the same way ; though indeed he has, on page 67 quoted from 
the report of that Committee, the evidence of this fact, where they 
account for those results by the " expectation " of the subject. And in 
precisely the same way I accounted for them ; and if you examine pages 
111 and 113 of Mr. G.'s book, you will find he has quoted passages from 
my work, in which I had maintained this very same doctrine, in relation to 
the effects caused by " credenciveness," or the " apprehension " of the 
patient ; effects which have been well known to all persons familiar with 
mind ever since the world was made, and which Mr. G. so gravely thinks 
no one ever knew before himself! I noticed them in my work simply 
for the purpose of illustrating certain laws of the mind, which I had 
attempted to arrange and classify in my Theory. And now, two years 
after the announcement of my Theory, this writer, " while engaged in 
performing experiments," makes and solemnly announces a most im- 
portant and wonderful discovery of precisely the same thing ! 

I have already quoted an argument he uses against Dr. Buchanan's 
theory, (page 282,) and shown that the same argument was used two 
years before, in my work, which Mr. Grimes says he had read " care- 
fully." And, on pages 40, 41, he gives an explanation of Witchcraft, 
which he had " read carefully " in my book, page 210. On page 226, 
he attempts to show how it is that " whole communities " are often 
affected by sympathy and imitation, as if this explanation of those 
strange results had never been thought of before ; but turn to my work, 
pages 51 and 57, inclusive, and you will find the same explanation 
had already been given, and which Mr. Grimes had " carefully read." 
His illustrations of the clairvoyant power by " instinct," (page 232,) may 
be found in my book, pages 213 and 214. 

Mr. G. not only labors hard to establish his own priority of claim to 
certain discoveries, but he puts forth certain claims in behalf of others, 
which are equally unfounded, as the reader may see. Speaking of the 
excitement of the separate cerebral organs, he says : — 

" There is no evidence that Sunderland or Buchanan made their experiments 
before the spring of 1841, whereas Mr. Garfield made his known to me in the 



46 CRITICAL REMARKS. 

previous winter, so that if there is any honor in the priority, it belongs of right 
to Mr. Garfield."— p. 238. 

I have already referred to the places in my book, from which it will 
be seen that I do not make any claims to priority, like those Mr. Grimes 
represents ; and on page 141 he will find that I gave Dr. Cleaveland, of 
Providence, R. I., the credit of having excited the cerebral organs by 
this agency, as long ago as 1837, five years before the time when this 
writer tells us it was first done by Mr. Garfield. Mr. Grimes must have 
known this fact. Mr. G. refers to the first volume of the Magnet, for. 
what he says of my " claims " to priority ; and this, too, while he had 
my work on Pathetism before him, in which I disclaimed every thing of 
the kind, except what I have stated in the preface, page 7. 

The following extracts are sufficient to show that Mr. G. has a little 
self-esteem, as well as " credenciveness : " 

" Mr. George Combe had just arrived in this country, at the time when my 
work was issued, and I was desirous to receive his sanction of the new doctrines 
which I had advanced. But, before 1 had an opportunity to make his acquaint- 
ance, I learned that he considered my new system as dangerous to his own per- 
sonal ambition ; — under these circumstances, I declined his acquaintance." 
p. 12. 

" I believe that I am the first who has attempted to show their fallacy." — 
p. 281. 

" I believe that / am the first to attempt to give an explanation, and on this 
ground I claim some indulgence." — p. 300. 

The above forcibly reminds one of the lion in the verses of Sir Rich- 
ard Blackmore — 

" The lordly lion looked so wondrous grim, 
His very shadow durst not follow him." 

Mr. Grimes seems to feel extreme mortification that neither " Fowler, 
Buchanan, nor Sunderland," had ever read his work on Phrenology ! 
and he charges them with appropriating his phrenological discoveries in 
terms indicative of great wrath : — 

" The reader may, perhaps, suppose that these great discoverers, when they 
found that they had previously done me injustice, were prompt in acknowledge- 
ments, and loud in their proclamations of my priority and correctness. My 
dear reader, let. me assure you that, on the contrary, they have forgotten, or 
never knew, that such a work as that of mine was ever published." [! ! !] p. 245, 
******* 



CRITICAL REMARKS. 47 

For Messrs, Fowler and Buchanan I cannot speak ; but for myself, I 
am under the disagreeable and painful necessity of confessing to you, 
that I never did know, previous to reading the above humiliating an- 
nouncement, " that such a work " as that referred to by the said J. 
Stanley Grimes, " was ever published." Indeed, I scarcely knew that 
such a man as this Mr. Grimes had ever existed ; his book I never read, 
never saw it, that I know of, and, though I perceive that this want of 
knowledge on my part is a cause of poignant grief to the said Mr. 
Grimes, for the life of me I cannot tell how he may find relief, unless he 
should set his " credenciveness " to work, and " induct " his good sense 
enough to counteract the undue development of his self-esteem. In 
that case he might, perhaps, upon mature reflection, come to the grave 
conclusion, that there may be a very few other blockheads in this 
world, who, indeed, never did know, that the said J. Stanley Grimes, 
" Etherologist," " Counsellor at Law," " President of the Buffalo Phre- 
nological Society," " Professor of Medical Jurisprudence," and " Author 
of a New System of Phrenology," had condescended to enlighten the 
world upon this or any other subject. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



019 953 493 2 

Preparing for the Press. 

PATHETISM; 

A NEW THEORY OF MIND, 

ILLUSTRATING THE 

PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN INFLUENCE AND ACTION, THE 

SUSCEPTIBILITIES AND POWERS OF THE NERVOUS 

SYSTEM, AND GIVING THE RATIONALE OF 

LIFE AND HEALTH, 

SLEEP, DREAMING, SOMNAMBULISM, TRANCE, ECSTACY, SPEC- 
TRAL ILLUSIONS, VISIONS, INSANITY, CHARMS, WITCH- 
CRAFT, SECOND-SIGHT, SPELLS, ENCHANTMENTS, 
FASCINATION, DOUBLE CONSCIOUSNESS, HAL- 
LUCINATION, DELUSION, INSTINCT or CLAIR- 
VOYANCE, PRESENTIMENTS, 
AND EVERY SENSATION, EMOTION, CONCEPTION, PERCEPTION, AND CON- 
DITION, PECULIAR TO 



s 



MIND; 



TOGETHER WITH THE 

EXTRAORDINARY PHENOMENA 

Prevalent among the Ancient Egyptians, the Hindoos, Mohammedans, 
Anabaptists, French Prophets, Ranters, Roman Catholics, Shaking 
Quakers, Mormons, and other Sects, which have hitherto been considered 

SUPERNATURAL OR MIRACULOUS, 

And many similar and strange results sometimes connected with Reli- 
gious, Political, and various other excitements, showing the nature of 
Moral, Sympathetic, Mania, Temptations, the Principles concerned in 
the Formation of Character, and the pursuit of the highest good, includ- 
ing whatever relates to 

PHRENOLOGY, PATHOGNOMY, PHYSIOGNOMY, 

AND THE TRUE SCIENCE OF LIFE. 

BY LA ROY SUNDERLAND. 



" There cannot be a sounder maxim of reasoning, than that which points put to us the error of 
attributing the phenomena that occur to remote and extraordinary causes, when they may, with equal 
propriety, be referred to causes which obviously exist, and the results of which we daliy observe." 



With Appendices, containing critical remarks on the Theories of Mesmer, 
Townshend, Braid, Dr. Buchanan, J. S. Grimes, and others, and showing the 
Philosophy of Religion, in its adaptation to the constitutional susceptibilities of 
the Human Mind» &c. &o. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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